Pastra (Greek: Πάστρα) is a village and a community in the southeastern part of the island of Kefalonia, Greece. It was the seat of the municipality of Eleios-Pronnoi. The community consists of the villages Pastra and Kremmydi. Pastra is 2 km northeast of Markopoulo, 3 km south of Agia Eirini, 5 km northwest of Skala, 6 km southwest of the port town of Poros and 25 km southeast of Argostoli.

Pastra
Πάστρα
Pastra is located in Greece
Pastra
Pastra
Coordinates: 38°6′N 20°45′E / 38.100°N 20.750°E / 38.100; 20.750
CountryGreece
Administrative regionIonian Islands
Regional unitKefalonia
MunicipalityArgostoli
Municipal unitEleios-Pronnoi
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Community
160
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Population

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Year Population village Population community
1981 245 -
1991 200 -
2001 175 243
2011 133 173
2021 122 160

History

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According to 19th century Greek geographer and historian, Antonios Miliarakis, the village of Pastra and the area of the two villages (Kremmydi and Agios Giorgis) around it, used to be called Balta (later Valtes), and got its name from the many reeds and the streams it has. The name Valtes is said to be of Albanian origin and means exactly that, "mud" or "swamp".

Albanian soldiers, from the Albanian colony of the Republic of Venice, inhabited the area during the 15th century when the Venetians gave them land in the "xomero" to settle with their families. Xomero meaning an outlying place, away from the capital. At the time, Kefalonia was also a colony of the Republic of Venice. The village was later renamed Pastra in 1890 until today.[2] Until 2010 it was the capital of the municipality of Elios - Pronnon.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ Μηλιαράκης, Αντώνιος (1890). Γεωγραφία πολιτικὴ νέα καὶ ἀρχαία τοῡ Νομοῡ Κεφαλληνίας.